Safety management is a dynamic and competitive field — a mission-driven industry for professionals who have the skills to mitigate risk and improve conditions for individuals in a variety of environments.
Let's explore the safety management industry and outline some of the most sought-after safety management jobs available today.
What is safety management?
Safety management can be defined as the process of "managing business activities and applying principles, framework, processes to help prevent accidents, injuries and to minimize other risk."
The field of safety management is interdisciplinary in nature — drawing on areas of study such as business, public policy, economics, risk analysis, and occupational health.
Further, safety management is composed of four functional components: safety policy, safety assurance, safety risk management, and safety promotion.
*Information taken from Federal Aviation Administration
Operating within this framework, safety management professionals "focus on developing professional skills in areas such as loss control, emergency care, and industrial safety."
In a safety management degree program, topics of study may include:
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Safety research and evaluation
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Environmental and personal hazard control
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Fire or machine safety
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Risk assessment and management
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Hazard identification and accident investigation
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Industry safety standards and strategies
Safety management career opportunities:
Manufacturing sites, educational institutions, businesses, construction firms — these are just a few of the environments where safety management professionals are needed today. Other industries that employ safety management professionals include the government and military, transportation, mining, agriculture, and aviation.
But no matter the industry — safety management professionals all pursue a common mission: to lead efforts to preserve and protect the people, property, and business efficacy of an organization.
Students who graduate with a safety management degree at the graduate level are prepared for a variety of meaningful careers in the field of safety management. Here are just a few of the many safety management career opportunities available today:
1. Occupational Health and Safety Specialist — "collect data on and analyze many types of work environments and work procedures"
Average Salary: $72,000 | Job Growth Rate: 7 percent
2. Facilities Manager — "plan, direct, and coordinate activities that help an organization run efficiently"
Average Salary: $98,000 | Job Growth Rate: 9 percent
3. Construction Manager — "plan, coordinate, budget, and supervise construction projects from start to finish"
Average Salary: $97,000 | Job Growth Rate: 11 percent
4. Health and Safety Engineer — "combine knowledge of engineering and of health and safety to develop procedures and design systems to protect people from illness and injury and property from damage"
Average Salary: $94,000 | Job Growth Rate: 6 percent
5. Transportation Manager — "plan, direct, or coordinate transportation, storage, or distribution activities in accordance with organizational policies and applicable government laws or regulations"
Average Salary: $96,000 | Job Growth Rate: 4 percent
6. Emergency Management Director — "prepare plans and procedures for responding to natural disasters or other emergencies. They also help lead the response during and after emergencies"
Average Salary: $76,000 | Job Growth Rate: 6 percent
7. Compliance Officer — "examine, evaluate, and investigate eligibility for or conformity with laws and regulations governing contract compliance of licenses and permits, and perform other compliance and enforcement inspection and analysis activities"
Average Salary: $71,000 | Job Growth Rate: 4 percent
Thinking about getting a safety management degree? Connect with WVU!
The Master of Science in Safety Management offered by the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources prepares you to help companies follow state and federal regulations, while designing programs to prevent disease, injury, or damage to the environment.
And with a strong job market, you will be ready to respond to the needs of the public and employers, to inspect hazardous situations, and to investigate and administer government regulations.
If you have any questions about graduate school online at WVU, feel free to request more information or you can start your online application today!
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